Category: Food & Drink

Yesterday was the second time I’ve made mac and cheese in December using a recipe that I’ve Frankensteined together from a real recipe and suggestions from others, so I figured it was about time I wrote it down. I will tell you that it’s been a huge hit with large groups both times I’ve made it, so it seems pretty solid.

Average Jane’s Macaroni & Cheese

1 lb. elbow macaroni noodles, cooked and drained
8 oz. sharp cheddar, grated
8 oz. smoked gouda, grated
4 oz. havarti, grated
1/4 cup parmesan, freshly grated
8 oz. block of Velveeta
8 oz. heavy cream
2 cups water
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup corn starch 
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. paprika
Bread crumbs for topping

To make the sauce, mix together the corn starch, salt and pepper in a large saucepan and add heavy cream, water, butter and sour cream. Stir over medium heat until butter melts and mixture begins to thicken. Pull off chunks of the Velveeta and add to the sauce, stirring until they melt. When the mixture begins to bubble slightly, start adding the grated cheese. Stir until the cheese is thoroughly incorporated and the sauce is smooth. Mix sauce with noodles and put in a greased or buttered 9×13" or larger casserole dish. Sprinkle bread crumbs on top and bake at 350°F for 30 minutes or until bubbly throughout. 

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So that’s the extravaganza of dairy I’ve cobbled together. It’s ridiculous and you don’t want to think too hard about the nutritional content, but everyone I’ve served it to has liked it. I particularly enjoy the flavor that the smoked gouda adds. If you give it a try, let me know! I’ll plan to come back and add a photo the next time I make it. I forgot to get one yesterday during all of the holiday chaos.

I was out of town for work most of last week, so I wasn't prepared to make anything particularly involved for dinner last night. However, I did have all the ingredients for potato soup on hand. Before I sliced up potatoes, carrots and celery for the soup, I mixed up a loaf of beer bread and put it in the oven. 

Beer bread is a recent addition to my baking repertoire, but now that I have come to appreciate it, I'm not sure how I managed to overlook it for so long. It's only three ingredients: self-rising flour, sugar and a can of beer. Because it doesn't need to rise, you can mix it up and bake it for less than an hour and you end up with a lovely loaf that's kind of a cross between bread and US-style biscuit.

The first loaf of beer bread that I made a few weeks ago contained Boulevard Brewing Company Tropical Pale Ale. It's not a fave of mine for drinking, but it added an interesting fruity, hoppy edge to the bread that worked out well with the vegetable minestrone I'd made at the time.

This time I used a Wasatch Apricot Hefeweisen that had been pushed to the back of our mini fridge since last year. You might be sensing a pattern here regarding the types of beer I keep on hand. The other options were Bud Light and Coors Light that someone left here (too boring) or Boulevard Jam Band Berry Ale (too pink). Everything else I have is high ABV, fancy, highly flavored and oversized, so I'll be saving those for drinking.

Anyway, last night's batch of beer bread was very nice with just a hint of fruity flavor. It was pretty much perfect when buttered and served with the potato soup. I have enough leftovers of both the bread and the potato soup for at least a lunch or two this week.

What's your favorite recipe that it took you a while to discover or appreciate?

My paperback copy of the Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book naturally falls open to the recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookies due to the many times I’ve baked them. That was my intention today, but instead the book went a page further and Oatmeal Cookies caught my eye instead. I made a few adjustments to the standard recipe and baked these delicious cookies to enjoy while there’s snow on the ground and I’m staying in.

Maple Spice Oatmeal Cookies

3/4 cup butter (room temperature)
1 3/4 cups flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. maple flavoring
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
2 cups old fashioned oatmeal, uncooked
1 cup mini cinnamon baking chips

Heat oven to 375°F. Using an electric mixer or by hand, cream together butter, brown sugar and sugar until combined. Add eggs, vanilla extract and maple flavoring and mix thoroughly. Add baking power, baking soda, salt, flour, cinnamon and cloves. Mix until well combined, then stir in oatmeal and cinnamon baking chips. Drop by teaspoonsful on a baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes or until slightly browned on top. Cool on a wire rack. Makes 3 1/2 to 4 dozen.

Note: Link in post is not an affiliate link.

A number of years back, my sister and I decided (with the approval of our families) that we are well and truly OVER the traditional holiday feast foods of our childhoods. Also, I'm a vegetarian now, so roast beast with side dishes is not of interest to me at all.

This year, we've decided to repeat the successful Italian-themed Christmas meal that we made last year. My sister is making a lasagna with meat and I'll be making a veggie lasagna and a pan of baked ziti. I'll also bake Italian bread and make balsamic vinaigrette for the salad since I have some nice aged balsamic on hand.

For Christmas Eve dinner, I'm planning to make enchiladas (I make a small pan of them for myself before I add the meat) and Mexican rice (with vegetable broth). We have enough cookies and candy around that I'm not going to concern myself with preparing a separate dessert.

The Friday before Christmas Eve, my niece and nephew are coming over for dinner, movies and a sleepover. I figured I'd bust out the Fry Daddy and make tacos to preemptively use up the extra tortillas I would have had from making the enchiladas the next day. Let's hope the weather is decent enough that I can fry the shells out on the front porch.

I really enjoy everything about planning these elaborate meals. From making the grocery lists to buying the ingredients, to preparing each dish in just the right order to have everything done at the same time, I find the entire process fun and satisfying.

What are your meal plans for this weekend?

Sometimes you just want to bake something sweet and delicious. Today I thought about this recipe and realized I had all the ingredients on hand, so I'll be bringing it with me to a gathering this afternoon.

Almond Poppy Seed Bread

(Makes 4-5 mini loaves)

Heat oven to 350°F. Combine all ingredients by hand or use an electric mixer.

3 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp. butter flavoring
1 1/2 tsp. almond flavoring
1 1/2 cups milk (soy milk also works great)
1 1/8 cups vegetable oil
2 tblsp. poppy seeds

Grease mini loaf pans, divide batter evenly between them, and bake for one hour. I find that using an electric mixer increases the batter volume enough to make a fifth mini loaf. Check for doneness with a toothpick before removing from oven.

If desired, glaze loaves while still warm, first combining:

1/2 cup orange juice concentrate (no water added)
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1/2 tsp. butter flavoring

Remove loaves from pan and place on a rack with waxed paper or a cookie sheet underneath to catch the drips. Spoon glaze over each loaf.

Over the past few months, my 20th wedding anniversary came and went. We had a lovely Christmas and New Year's Eve. Oh, and my Pura Vida Tequila shipments arrived!

As part of the program with the company that also included my backstage experience with Godsmack, Pura Vida sent me one bottle each of their Silver, Reposado, Gold, Añejo and Extra Añejo tequilas, NARANJA liqueur and Bloody Maria and Sangrita mixers.

I've been playing around with drink recipes ever since. We had Bloody Marias on Christmas morning at my sister's house with breakfast and they were so delicious.

Most of all, though, I've been gaining a serious appreciation for margaritas made with fresh lime juice and high quality tequila. Here's the recipe I've been following (although I've been making pitchers, so think "parts" rather than "ounces" if that's the route you're going).

La Primera (Margarita)

INGREDIENTS:

1 ½ oz Pura Vida Silver Tequila
1 oz Fresh Lime Juice
½ oz NARANJA Orange Liqueur
Agave Nectar to taste

DIRECTIONS:

In a shaker with ice, combine ingredients and shake to chill. Strain into an ice-filled margarita glass with a salted rim. Garnish with a lime wedge.

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While I'm sharing recipes, here's one of the drinks I tried on the Pura Vida Tequila bus. Lemon juice in place of lime makes for a tart and refreshing drink. It's Godsmack frontman Sully Erna's creation:

Sully Smash

INGREDIENTS:

1 ½ oz Pura Vida Añejo Tequila
½ oz NARANJA Orange Liqueur
½ oz Pura Vida Organic Agave Nectar
½ oz Fresh Lemon Juice

DIRECTIONS:

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with cubed ice . Shake to chill and combine. Strain into a highball glass packed with crushed ice. Garnish with a mint sprig.

Disclosure: In exchange for my participation in this program, I received the aforementioned free product from Pura Vida Tequila, VIP concert tickets and other concert-related considerations. All opinions are my own.

I recently participated in a great #BoozyBaking webinar sponsored by Maker's Mark Bourbon. They sent me a bottle of Maker's Mark along with a bunch of other goodies to make Old Fashioneds and other holiday treats. As part of the promotion, we were invited to create a recipe based on a classic cocktail.

I decided that I would see if I could make a cake with the flavor of a Whiskey Sour. I modified a recipe I found on on Fine Cooking and it turned out just as I'd hoped. The cake has a tangy flavor from the lemon zest, and the flavors of orange and Maker's Mark Bourbon in the glaze round out the impression of the cocktail on which it is based.

Maker's Mark Whiskey Sour Cake

Cake ingredients:

2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1-1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup cooking oil (I used grapeseed)
2 tbsp. fresh lemon zest (about 2 lemons' worth)
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup fresh orange juice (strained)
1/4 cup Maker's Mark Bourbon
5 large eggs

Glaze ingredients:

1/2 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
2 tbsp. Maker's Mark Bourbon
1 cup powdered sugar, divided

Heat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 12-cup bundt pan (I'm actually all about the Baker's Secret spray!).

For the cake:
Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, and soda into the large bowl of a stand mixer and use the paddle attachment. Add the butter and mix on low speed until crumbled and fine. Switch to the whisk attachment. With the machine running on medium speed, whisk in the oil, lemon zest, vanilla extract, orange juice and Maker's Mark. Whisk in the eggs one at a time, then increase the speed to high and whisk the batter until light, about 3 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl if necessary. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes.

For the glaze:
While the cake is baking, whisk together the orange juice concentrate, butter, Maker's Mark, and 1/2 cup of the powdered sugar. When the cake is done, set the pan on a cooling rack for 5 minutes. Take a thin skewer and poke the cake all the way through to the bottom of the pan in about 100 places. Pour 1/3 cup of the syrup over the cake and let stand for 1 hour before removing the cake from the pan. (At this point you can wrap the cake in plastic and hold for up to 3 days at room temperature.) Cover the remaining syrup with plastic and store at room temperature.

When you're ready to serve the cake, whisk the last 1/2 cup powdered sugar into the remaining syrup. Set the cake on a rack over a baking sheet and pour the glaze over the cake. Let stand for at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Disclosure: While I did receive free product from Maker's Mark Bourbon, it was my choice to write this blog post and participate further in the program. My words are my own.

I just recently had my first ever microwave burrito. I KNOW! How could I have lived [mmmph] years and never experienced the glory of this foodstuff?

The answer to that question lies in an anecdote from when I was a teenager.

One day I was at band practice when a horrible odor arose from behind the drum kit. It swiftly made its way across the basement practice room until the song came to a halt as everyone gagged and fled upstairs. The drummer rather proudly admitted that he had eaten two microwave burritos from the convenience store up the street before practice, which then resulted in the worst fart that I have ever had the displeasure of experiencing. Seriously, it was like chemical warfare.

From then on, microwave burritos were nothing but the punchline to a fart joke as far as I was concerned. They never even entered the consideration set of things I might purchase to eat.

That finally changed when I was buying my umpteenth set of Amy's frozen meals to take to work. I get that brand a lot because they have a good number of dairy-free options, the ingredients list looks pretty much like something you would make at home, they're fairly cheap, and their food is actually really good. However, I end up buying the same four or five things over and over, so I was casting my gaze a little wider to see what else they had that I could eat when I spotted their burritos.

I bought a couple of them and stuck them in the freezer for later. When I finally got around to heating one up, what a revelation! It took less than two minutes to heat up and it tasted really good. Yes, I burned half my taste buds off with the volcanically hot filling the first time around, but that lesson was easy to absorb. 

Of course I could make a big batch of dairy-free burritos and freeze them myself, and maybe I will someday. But in the meantime I have a new favorite snack that, fortunately, does not affect my digestive system in the same way that befell my erstwhile drummer. We can all be glad of that.

Photo "Amy's vegan burrito" by jkaty27, used under CC license.

Last year I copped out when it came to Thanksgiving dinner and just made reservations at a restaurant. Not surprisingly, that was less satisfactory than it might have been, so this year I'm going to cook again.

As you may know, Thanksgiving dinner is kind of my specialty. Here's a booklet I made of some of my favorite Thanksgiving recipes. One of these days I'll update it with photos and other nice goodies, but it'll get you through the process even like this.

As a newly-minted vegetarian, I had to make some choices about how to handle the turkey that most of my guests will want. I decided to get it and a few of the more mundane side dishes already prepared by a local grocery store that does a nice job with their catering.

That frees me up to make the more interesting appetizers, sides and desserts from scratch, adding a couple of things aimed mainly at the vegetarians. Between my pumpkin pie and pumpkin ravioli, I think you'll note a theme. I'll probably also make pomegranate salsa and probably some kind of roasted Brussels sprouts dish.

As usual, I've put out an invitation to anyone I know in my area who doesn't have other Thanksgiving plans. Otherwise it's only five of us, two of whom are vegetarians, and I've ordered a turkey that feeds ten. So I'm pretty serious about adding anyone else who wants to join us. That means you, by the way. If you want to come over, email me and I'll give you the details. There will be wine.

So what do you have planned for Thanksgiving?